Building a National Network for the Transportation Workforce

FHWA supportedNational Network for the Transportation Workforce

• NNTW formed to provide a more strategic and efficient approach to transportation workforce development.

• The Centers act together to facilitate national partnerships with key public and private organizations

• Bring together the transportation, education, labor, and workforce investment communities

• Identify and promote effective transportation workforce activities, programs, and resources

WESTSteve Albert

Montana State Universitystevea@coe.montana.edu

(406) 994-6114wrtwc.org

SOUTHWESTTom O’Brien

California State University, Long Beach

Thomas.OBrien@csulb.edu(562) 985-2875

swtwc.org

MIDWESTTeresa M. Adams

University of Wisconsin-Madison

teresa.adams@wisc.edu(608) 263-3175

mtwc.org

SOUTHEASTStephanie S. Ivey

The University of Memphis

ssalyers@memphis.edu(901) 678-3286

memphis.edu/setwc

NORTHEASTGlenn McRae

University of Vermontglenn.mcrae@uvm.edu

(802) 656-1317netwc.net

NETWCat the University of Vermont Transportation Research Centerwith the Center for Advanced Infrastructure & Transportation at Rutgers University  www.netwc.net

Strategic Framework for Action

Creating resources to keep workforce professionals and educators engaged, build partnerships, and provide a one‐stop‐shop for links to tools, ideas, and strategies. 

http://netwc.net/

Data-Based Decision Making

Better data• On transportation workforce priorities in

region• On existing training & education

programsBetter alignment

• Of education & training to skill gaps

Comprehensive Literature Review Identify and analyze information from Federal, State, and private‐sector research, technical & 

conference reports and institutional documents Assess the transportation industry in each region as well as employment trends  Results increased the team’s overall understanding of each Region’s transportation industry trends and 

workforce issues.

Engage Transportation Workforce Stakeholders Engage industry stakeholders throughout the regions—both public and private partners—positions 

within state DOLs, DOTs, universities, associations, and private employers Input covered the broad work environment of personnel, critical job functions,  anticipated workforce 

trends over the next 5 to 10 years, recruitment and retention challenges, workforce success strategies  Results of this subtask help define the workforce at the region‐level and provide a preliminary list of 

critical workforce occupations and functions to focus on. 

Estimating regional workforce demand for occupations Generate and analyze historic, current, and future occupational estimates for all priority transportation 

occupations identified (BLS) Results allowed for a more accurate assessment of workforce trends across disciplines

Job Needs and Priorities by Region Three Phase Research Methodology

Characteristics of the West Region

Transportation expenditures of $19 billion/year

~355,000 workers employed in Transportation & Warehousing Occupations

Multimodal (maritime (AK, HI, WA), rail (NE), pipeline (WY, ND)

Highways dominate regional transportation expenditures (72%)

84% of regional highways are rural

36% of land mass; 6% of U.S. population

Rural and Small Urban (low population densities)

Training access challenges in rural communities

Tight Labor Markets (low unemployment rates)

Energy sector development

Tribal and federal lands

Southeast Region ‐ Description

• 12 states & PR

• 15% land area

• 27% US population

• 1.4 M transportation and warehousing employees

• Key industry sectors within states include:

• Aerospace (11)• Automotive (8)• Distribution and Logistics (11)• Ship Building (5)

• 28% of all bridges in US

• 25% of structurally deficient and 31% of functionally obsolete bridges in US

• More than 25% of US rail track miles

• 11 of the top 25 water ports by tonnage

102,330 (22.4% change)

103,600 (23.9% change)

15,060 14.1% change)

13,540 (16.8% change)

20,270 (21% change)

112,720 (22.6% change)

75,060 (16.8% change)

53,320 (14.7% change)

496,580 (19.5% change)

1,280 (11.3% change)

34,200 (15.5% change)

47,230 (33.7% change)

704,130 (20.1% change)

83,630

83,630

13,200

11,590

16,750

91,940

64,290

46,500

415,400

1,150

29,610

35,330

586,480

0 100,000 200,000 300,000 400,000 500,000 600,000 700,000 800,000

Computer and Information Systems Managers

Civil Engineers

Surveyors

Urban and Regional Planners

Surveying and Mapping Technicians

Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators

Bus and Truck Mechanics and Diesel Engine Specialists

Bus Drivers, Transit and Intercity

Heavy and Tractor‐Trailer Drivers

Traffic Technicians

Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers

Logisticians

Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand

EMPLOYMENT FORECAST FOR PRIORITY OCCUPATIONS IN THE SOUTHWEST# of Employees, 2012

Additional Workers Needed by 2022Midwest Region

11+82,026

+63,590

+36,510

+31,796

+15,611

+10,913

+8,770

+6,068

+5,212

+4,627

+182

Heavy & tractor-trailer drivers

General laborers

Storage & distribution managers

Construction laborers

Customs brokers

Light truck or delivery drivers

Software developers

Civil engineers

Logisticians

Bus & truck mechanics

Vessel operators & mates

Baccalaureate ++

Technical Education

What does the Future Hold?Traditional

Industry forecasts based on past trends

Projected growth

Projected retirements

Existing occupations

Futurecasting

Industry game changers new organizational competencies

Organizational trends/new mandates

New technologies

Streamlined organizations

Issues Focus

Right-sized, skilled

workforce

Lack of skill

Lack of job applicants

Poor retention

New job requirements

Phase 2 Focus: Solutions Shift from “problem/issue”

focus to “possibilities” and potential solutions

Use networks to gather resources on great programs that already exist

Build action-oriented partnerships

Use networks to share, scale, replicate or leverage

STRATEGIC ACTION PLANS

National Network for the Transportation Workforce On‐line Resources

• One Stop Shop Clearinghouses of transportation education and career awareness programs

• Newsfeed on upcoming regional events, opportunities, webinars, and Center activities

• One-click sign up for e-newsletters and other network communications

• Regional Job Needs and Priorities Reports, Phase 1

• Coming in September: Regional Job Needs and Priorities, Phase 2 Strategic Action Plans and Report

• TRB Education & Training webinar series

• nntw.org

WESTSteve Albert

Montana State Universitystevea@coe.montana.edu

(406) 994-6114wrtwc.org

SOUTHWESTTom O’Brien

California State University, Long Beachswtwc.org

MIDWESTTeresa M. Adams

University of Wisconsin-Madisonmtwc.org

SOUTHEASTStephanie S. Ivey

The University of Memphis

memphis.edu/setwc

NORTHEASTGlenn McRae

University of Vermontnetwc.net

National Focus Areas

Rural Safety

Federal Lands

MobilityLivability

Tribal

The Future Transportation

Workforce:State DOTs

Millennials• Why do they matter?

– Became the largest generational cohort in 2010

– Quickly becoming largest generational cohort within the workforce as Baby Boomers retire

– Generational preferences & characteristics have an impact on workplace culture & practices

– HR professionals need tools to deal with rapid demographic shifts in workplace

Transportation Workforce

• Workforce hiring cycles => transportation workforce older than national average– 53% of transportation workforce over 45 years

old– 35% of transit workers over 55 years old

• Growth & separations in industry => need for significant recruitment/hiring of new workers

Study Purpose

• Better understand the current literature on Millennials in the workforce

• Better understand State DOT perspectives on hiring and retention issues

Methodology• Literature Review

– Work Attitudes & Values– Career Mobility– Managing & Motivating Millennials– Technology

• Focus Group– Participants: Alaska, Minnesota, Montana,

Wisconsin, and Oregon state DOTs– Human Resources roles

Key Takeaways

• Work centrality

• Mobility

• Work-life fusion & technology dependent

• Desire for mentorship, engagement, opportunities for change

• Results-focused

Focus Group

• Attraction• Recruitment • Retention• Workplace Culture

Attraction

Positives• Work/life balance• Job security• Professional development• Job rotation programs• Flexible schedules

Negatives• Technology• Image

Recruitment

Needs• More robust social media

plans• On-line presence• Better data on how

applicants find openings

Successes• Recruitment partnerships

with colleges –disseminate info through career services systems

• Internship programs

Culture of Engagement

Good response• Professional & leadership

development opportunities

• Involvement of young staff in improving agency processes/policies

• Performance recognition• Mentorship & feedback

Shortcomings• In-house mentorship

capacity• Hierarchical culture• Sluggishness to change• Expectations about where

and when work should be done

Findings

• Potential for collaboration on:– Developing online and social media presence– Building in-house mentorship capacity– Improving public image of DOTs among

young people – Career messaging that highlights attractive

attributes– Reviewing business processes and use of

technology policies in the workplace

How do we get there?DOT Case Study

Challenges include differing expectations between current ways of doing business at DOTs and new career models. • Sluggishness of DOTs to

change• Delays at government agencies

that frustrate enthusiastic workers

• Strong hierarchical structures• “Pay your dues” and “at your

desk” approach to work

Workforce of Tomorrow Study Recommendations

Create a culture that values and engages people. Empower HR -- Promote innovation by supporting a “let’s try it” approach to recruiting, retaining, and rewarding employees.Reduce layers of decision making that give employees more say in setting priorities and defining direction.Use ongoing communication and feedback systems to ensure that employees are well informed about organizational priorities and issues affecting them.

Future Work

• Actionable Research• Provide specific, evidence-based

guidelines and tools• Practice ready• Leveraged costs for maximum benefit

– Pooled Fund?– Multigenerational workforce

whip·per·snap·per/ˈ(h)wipәrˌsnapәr/

synonyms:

noun informala young and inexperienced person considered to be presumptuous or overconfident.

synonym: upstart

Source: Google.com

2 in 3 Millennials expect to leave by 2020Deloitte Millennial Surveyhttp://www2.deloitte.com/global/en/pages/about-deloitte/articles/gx-millennials-one-foot-out-the-door.html

Focus on Key Decision Points

The decision to join an organization or not to join

The decision to leave an organization or to stay

The decision to change an organization

Culture‐Based Framework

Expected Benefits

• Identify key career messaging and media that resonate with potential recruits.

• Identify attractive organizational traits and opportunities that could be better marketed/communicated

• Identify potential organizational practices that promote better engagement of new workforce entrants

• Build the capacity of DOT leadership and staff to effectively implement organizational changes needed to engage and retain the existing and incoming workforce

According to research conducted by the Government Business Council and Route 50“When asked to rank organizational challenges, state and local government employees place the six management areas in the following order, from most challenging to least:

#1 Human Capital and Workforce Issues

90% OF RESPONDENTS SAY HUMAN CAPITAL & WORKFORCE ISSUES ARE A CHALLENGE FOR THEIR ORGANIZATION”

DISCUSSION BREAK

AASHTO HR Survey

Peer Exchange

52%

48%

Survey Responses

Completed Incomplete

0 1 2 3 4 5

Alabama

Alaska

Arizona

Arkansas

Connecticut

Idaho

Indiana

Iowa

Maine

Michigan

Minnesota

Mississippi

Nevada

New Jersey

North Dakota

Oklahoma

Rhode Island

Tennessee

Texas

Utah

Virginia

Washington

West Virginia

Wyoming

Total Responses Per State

States that Completed the Survey

• Alaska• Arizona• Arkansas• Connecticut• Indiana• Mississippi• Nevada• North Dakota

• Oklahoma• Rhode Island• Texas• Utah• Virginia• Washington• West Virginia• Wyoming

0

500

1,000

1,500

2,000

2,500

3,000

3,500

4,000

What is the total number of full‐time equivalent positions employed by your state DOT?

0

2000

4000

6000

8000

10000

12000

Texas Virginia Washington West Virginia

What is the total number of full‐time equivalent positions employed by your state DOT? (continued)

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

How many full‐time equivalent Human Resources positions does your DOT employ? 

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

160

Texas Virginia Washington West Virginia

How many full‐time equivalent Human Resources positions does your DOT employ? (continued)

29.9

64.5

80 82.290.2 92 93.9 94

126.8133.6 134.6 137.3 140.9

154.5 156.3 161.5

180

195.2

266.7

Total Employees Per HR Staff

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

350

400

450

500

How many hires does your HR department perform per year on average?

0

200

400

600

800

1000

1200

Alaska Indiana Texas Virginia Washington West Virginia

How many hires does your HR department perform per year on average? (continued)

23.1

9.8

12.2

7.6

4.4

19.2

17.0 16.7

4.4

6.1

8.0

10.0

7.8

14.7

18.0

21.0

Total Hires Per Year Per HR Staff 

$566,926

$3,760$929 $12,074

Average Breakdown of Annual Investment the DOT Spends on Recruitment

Staff Travel Marketing/Advertising Other

Other Expenses Include:Job FairsDDI Participant Guides

States Represented:AlaskaArizonaArkansasConnecticutNorth DakotaOklahomaWashington

50%50%

Does your DOT track where applicants learned about the opening?

Yes No

States Represented:AlaskaArizonaArkansasConnecticutIndianaMississippiNevadaNorth DakotaOklahomaRhode IslandTexasUtahVirginiaWashingtonWest VirginiaWyoming

44%

56%

Does your DOT track where successful hires learned about openings?

Yes No

States Represented:AlaskaArizonaArkansasConnecticutIndianaMississippiNevadaNorth DakotaOklahomaRhode IslandTexasUtahVirginiaWashingtonWest VirginiaWyoming

22.9%

0.3%

4.3%

45.8%

0.5%0.0%

12.8%

Percentage of Successful Recruits Learned About the Opening By:

Word of Mouth Social MediaJob Fair On‐line PostingJob Service Newspaper, Poster or Other Print AdvertisingOther

States Represented:ArkansasIndianaNorth Dakota

53%

47%

Does your HR department have performance measures in place to evaluate the department’s operations?

Yes No

States Represented:AlaskaArizonaArkansasConnecticutIndianaIowaMississippiNevadaNew JerseyNorth DakotaOklahomaRhode IslandTennesseeTexasUtahVirginiaWashingtonWest VirginiaWyoming

Performance Measures

• HR and Safety Scorecard• Turnover/Employment Satisfaction/Time to Process• Track Recruitments under 50 days; track whether higher retention using Targeted Selection interviewing techniques (resulted in less turnover in MVD Customer Service reps); track voluntary regrettable attrition

• Grievance activity; transactional activity; error; audit queries

• Employee satisfaction surveys; turnover reports; customer satisfaction surveys

Performance Measures (continued)

• # of Days Job Posting Request under review by Hiring Committee, # of Days from Hiring Committee Approval to Job Posting, # of Days from Job Posting to Job Offer Issuance, Terminations per month, # of Vacant Positions, Position Vacancy Rate 

• Turnover, Safety, training, Some EVP measures. Performance evaluation tracking. 

• Advocate Strategic Alignment of Human Resources  / Advocate Consistent Hiring Practices / Improve Strategies for Recruitment Efforts / Enhance a Performance Management Culture / Improve and Clarify Internal Processes / Pursue Opportunities for Growth and Development 

Have you observed trends on where applicants are looking for job opportunities?

• They come to our website directly ‐ job boards and aggregators seem to be more of a start point rather than a one‐stop shop. 

• Online and social media • Most applicants are searching for job opportunities on Indeed.com • We transitioned to an online system and have seen increased applicant 

numbers; our mobile users are increasing significantly over the past 2 years. 

• Use of meta search engines to locate positions, increased use of LinkedIn as a recruiting platform 

• Positions located in urban areas have larger, more qualified applicant pools.  Experienced equipment operators, electricians, and mechanics are extremely difficult to find and attract. 

• We receive many applicants for entry‐level clerical positions, and not enough applicants for IT positions because we don't currently pay enough.